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Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is rated at about 80 per cent fit but appears to have shown enough to warrant inclusion against Stoke at Anfield.

Centre-backs Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel (both knee injuries) are expected to be available, although the latter is likely to have to settle for a place on the bench.

Summer signings Simon Mignolet and Kolo Toure are set for competitive debuts while fellow new arrivals Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto are also in the squad but striker Luis Suarez is suspended for a further six matches.

For Stoke, midfielder Brek Shea is ruled out with the knee injury suffered in a friendly in the United States last month.

Another midfielder, Jamie Ness, is also ruled out of Mark Hughes' first competitive game at the helm after his involvement in pre-season was curtailed by injury.

Summer signings Erik Pieters and Marc Muniesa, both defenders, are in contention for debuts while Asmir Begovic looks set to remain first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Thomas Sorensen and Jack Butland.

Sunderland boss Paolo Di Canio is expected to name the majority of his 10 summer signings in his starting line-up for the season opener against Fulham.

Jozy Altidore and Emanuele Giaccherini are set to make their competitive debuts while former Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone could get the nod ahead of Keiren Westwood.

Defender Wes Brown has been ruled out as a precautionary measure after a slight recurrence of a knee complaint, striker Steven Fletcher is also forced to miss the opening game with an ankle injury, while Craig Gardner is suspended.

Fulham midfielder Alexander Kacaniklic is a doubt because of a hamstring injury.

Goalkeeper David Stockdale is struggling with a thumb problem, but new signing is the club's number one choice in the position.

Adel Taarabt, a loan signing from QPR, is short of match fitness but will be included in the squad.

Nicolas Anelka is set to make his competitive West Brom debut in the clash with Southampton at The Hawthorns.

The 34-year-old, scorer of seven pre-season goals for Albion since joining in July, is one of three new faces added to the squad this summer along with fellow striker Matej Vydra and defender Diego Lugano, both of whom could also be involved in the campaign-opening game.

Wantaway frontman Peter Odemwingie has trained apart from the first team this summer and seems certain not to get a look in, while midfielders Zoltan Gera and George Thorne (both knee) are not yet ready for selection after their injuries.

Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino could be without two of his first-choice full-backs for the trip to the midlands.

Both Nathaniel Clyne and Luke Shaw are struggling with knocks picked up in the latter stages of pre-season but could yet feature in the opening fixture at The Hawthorns.

Shaw (knee) is the most likely of the two youngsters to be involved with Clyne still recovering from a problem he picked up in Austria.

England's latest goalscorer Rickie Lambert is expected to lead the line but the fitness of Gaston Ramirez and Maya Yoshida was expected to be judged later today after they travelled long-haul for midweek internationals.

Jonathan de Guzman will miss Swansea's opener against the reigning champions.

The Dutch midfielder was hurt in a training ground collision with Dirk Kuyt while on international duty and could also miss the first leg of the Europa League play-off against Petrolul Ploiesti.

Pablo Hernandez and Jonjo Shelvey are available again after their respective groin injury and illness, while Wilfried Bony is set to feature despite only arriving back from Ivory Coast's friendly against Mexico in New Jersey late last night.

David Moyes must decide whether to include Wayne Rooney in the squad for his first Premier League game in charge.

Rooney completed 65 minutes of his first game of the summer when England defeated Scotland on Wednesday and is expected to be on the bench at the Liberty Stadium.

Rafael and Javier Hernandez (both hamstring) and wing duo Nani and Ashley Young are all expected to be sidelined, so Wilfried Zaha stands by for his first top slight start, although Michael Carrick should recover from the eye infection which kept him out of England's friendly.

Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway will not be able to hand a debut to summer signing Jerome Thomas when the Eagles welcome Tottenham to Selhurst Park for their Premier League curtain-raiser on Sunday.

The 30-year-old winger suffered an ankle injury in a friendly against Lazio last weekend and is set to be sidelined for at least two weeks.

However, a host of other new signings could be in line for their competitive debuts with the likes of Marouane Chamakh and Elliott Grandin likely to be involved. Captain Paddy McCarthy (groin) is back in training but will not be ready while Glenn Murray (knee) and Yannick Bolasie (hamstring) are also absent.

Wantaway Tottenham forward Gareth Bale has been ruled out of the game because of a foot injury.

Defender Jan Vertonghen is doubtful due to an ankle injury he suffered in pre-season while midfielder Lewis Holtby misses out with a knee injury.

Striker Emmanuel Adebayor will not feature as he only returned from compassionate leave on Wednesday, while midfielder Scott Parker is expected to be left out of the squad as he is in talks with other clubs about a move away from White Hart Lane.

Jose Mourinho has a number of selection issues to ponder as he prepares for his Premier League return.

The midweek international features could have some bearing on Mourinho's team selection with Cesar Azpilicueta, who was an unused substitute for Spain in Ecuador, and Victor Moses, who was in South Africa with Nigeria, likely to miss out.

David Luiz had a limited role on the pre-season tour to the United States and was an unused substitute for Switzerland in midweek, so may also be doubtful.

Andre Schurrle and Marco van Ginkel could make their debuts after signing this summer.

Hull manager Steve Bruce is expected to blood a host of summer signings.

Goalkeeper Allan McGregor, defenders Maynor Figueroa and Curtis Davies and strikers Danny Graham and Yannick Sagbo have all been heavily involved in pre-season.

Midfield pair Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore go straight into the squad following their arrival from Tottenham this week.

Republic of Ireland international Stephen Quinn is the only senior player carrying an injury and will miss out with a hamstring complaint.